14 December 2015
The topic of this week’s article aims to address the importance of choosing the right contractor to carry out your home improvement project. However this is somewhat of a rhetorical question given customer anxiety over trust-able tradesmen costs the UK economy £6 billion each year according to a recent research study by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).
As a local leader in the home improvement market we truly believe that this amount of anxiety is a result on a minority of contractors and not the majority in which it is portrayed. TV ‘entertainment’ programmes glorify a handful of worst case scenarios however in retrospect this percentage of good v’s bad jobs equates to less than 5%.
We are under no illusion that the stereotypical ‘cowboy builder’ does exist but on the other hand firmly believe the created anxiety to the tune of £6 billion in losses is derived from hearsay and not experience. It is the ‘fear’ of ‘what if’ rather than ‘what has’. Fears like the following which were derived from FMB study:
Worryingly 1 in 5 consumers with a building, repair or other home improvement of any significance found the above fears reason enough to delay the job or bypass it all together. Our concern here is as consumers they are well within their rights to have reservations and concerns however to the point of not fulfilling a want, need or desire?
We truly believe that by asking the right questions and being thorough in your investigation you can overcome these fears resulting in the dream home improvement you’ve always wanted. Keep your wits about you and trust your gut – if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is, seek advice from a number of sources and check credentials with regards to ‘how they do business’.
As a minimum you are looking for the following questions to be answered with a YES, if they’re not then walk away!
1.Are they members of the relevant associations?
2.Can they provide testimonials and examples of their past work?
3.Can they help with all aspects of your project?
4.Are they willing to offer free information, help & advice?
5.Can they provide you with your own dedicated Project Manager?
6.Do they employ all their staff and how qualified are they?
7.Do they require full payment upfront?
8.Do they fully guarantee all aspects of their work?
9.Will you have a contract?
10.Will you be provided with a detailed quote with itemized breakdown of exactly what you will be paying for and when?
Furthermore we firmly believe an open and honest conversation regarding money and budgets should be the first thing on the agenda. Some people find this rather intrusive and prefer to play a game of ‘cat and mouse’ however it makes much more sense to get this out in the open. Know your limits and make them clear. We also suggest getting a number of quotes, 3’s a good number. This is also a great opportunity to seek advice from a number of ‘professional’ contractors and conduct a price comparison.
Baring all of the above in mind the only thing left to do is trust your gut. Generally speaking if you feel confident and comfortable in their presence and they can provide answers to all your questions you can’t go far wrong. At no point should you feel pressured into making a decision and if at any point it doesn’t feel right then walk away.
Are you thinking about improving your home? Why not download our FREE Home Improvement Guide guide, packed full of information & advice on extensions, conversions, internal & external improvements, alterations & adaptations as well as planning, building regulations and all legal requirements.
MoreBuild*, part of the Passmore Group, are a Leeds based building solutions company. Whether you are looking to discuss an extension, conversion, internal or external building project or disabled alterations and adaptations More Build offer expert knowledge and advice as part of their fully project managed service.
what our customers say
First class service from initial visit to completion.
Ms Churchill, Black Moor, Leeds, West Yorkshire
I am writing to say how grateful we are for your help and advice in doing our garage conversion.
Each and everyone of you answered all our questions and dealt with everything we asked.
The builder, Ian, was a fantastic hard worker and very precise with his work, very pleasant and very helpful.
Sam and Ollie were very pleasant lads and they helped in every way they could, and they did more and beyond what they were here for. From plumbing to tiling and work outside.
Chris the plasterer was fantastic at his job and very pleasant. The two joiners, plus electrician who attended were very good. They all did a fantastic job from the very start to the finish.
Dave White the surveyor, Tony the building manager, and the staff we saw in your showroom were all very helpful and the office staff dealing with our phone calls.
My life will be made a lot easier from day to day - we can not thank you enough.
Mr & Mrs McCoy, Tong, Bradford, West Yorkshire
Many thanks for turning our house into a small palace! Special thanks to Cameron for his devotion and professional attitude to his duties of a builder and Tony for the overall management of the loft conversion project.
Mr & Mrs Borissova, Weetwood, Leeds, West Yorkshire
Very impressed with all the work and the staff i have come into contact with.
Ms Gardner, Pudsey, Leeds, West Yorkshire
The service and standard of work has been exceptional. The whole process stress-free and kept informed through-out.
Gary and Chris were brilliant and they went above and beyond our expectations.
We would have no hesitation in recommending you.
Paul Whittle, Shipley, Bradford, West Yorkshire
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